Mutations in keratin genes can lead to various genetic disorders that affect these tissues, such as epidermolysis bullosa simplex, a rare condition characterized by blistering and erosion of the skin and mucous membranes.
[1] Type IIA Keratins are characterized by their expression in tissues that undergo high stress, like soles of the feet or palms of the hand.
[3] Type IIA keratins have a unique structural feature that allows them to form coiled-coil dimers, which then assemble into tetramers and eventually into intermediate filaments.
[7] Type IIB keratins are a group of intermediate filament proteins that are primarily expressed in epithelial tissues, such as the skin, nails, and hair follicles.
Dysregulation of type IIB keratin expression or mutations in the KRT6B gene have been associated with a variety of skin disorders, including psoriasis, epidermolysis bullosa, and pachyonychia congenita.